A record that was an instant classic from the moment it was first released – and a set that's still pretty darn pleasing all these many years later! At a time when mainstream soul was often too smooth or too poppy, D'Angelo came along and not only found a way to return the music to the years of its power with singers like Al Green or Marvin Gaye – but also managed to bring in some of the best hip hop elements of his generation too, at a level that was far more successful than most other blends that had been tried before! Production is nice and lean, and super-crispy – at a level that so many folks are still copying all these years later – and the set's full of classics that include "Cruisin", "When We Get By", "Smooth", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", "Alright", and "Jonz In My Bonz". CD

A dark title, but some light music overall – a sweetly dreamy score from Angelo Lavagnino, and one that's filled with sweet strings and some weirdly watery sounds! The album starts out with a lovely little melody, but then soon moves into territory that's even more gentle – sometimes sounds right at the range of hearing, which shimmer and twist beautifully as they come into sharper focus. Instrumentation includes bits of piano – recorded with some nice echo – soft strings, and a few other elements that are hard to place exactly, but which come together with almost a feel that's more sonic than melodic. A few tunes get somewhat tense, but the score's relatively sweet overall – and the CD reissue features a total of 20 numbers from the film, 2 of which feature vocals from I Cantori Moderni. CD

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A killer debut from Angelo Outlaw – an vibist who may well become one of the first great soulful talents on his instrument in many years – an artist who can easily become the Roy Ayers of his generation – thanks to an expansive sound that effortlessly blends together jazz, soul, and funk! Angelo plays vibes with a nicely tight combo – and there's vocals on a number of tracks, but a number of others are instrumental – and often use the vibes and a bit of flute as the main "voice", which hardly makes you miss the vocals at all! Production is great – handled by Eraserhood Sound with a very contemporary vibe – on titles that include "Speed Of Light", "Loose Reality", "Diamonds", "Free My Mind", "Silent Horizon", "Memories", "Time Traveler", and "Cosmic Storm". CD

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Off the now classic first LP, with production from Primo and rhymes by AZ. CD

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – hinting at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty". CD

Stunning work from Michael Angelo – a little-known singer/songwriter from the Kansas City scene of the late 70s – one with a style that's totally great, but way too off the era's chronological expectations to get much notice at the time! Michael's music has a real late 60s vibe – some of the trippier folk modes of someone like Donovan, but mixed with the more complete songwriting of an artist like Nilsson or some of the hipper LA writers of the late 60s – all recorded in this laidback, understated way – especially for the 70s – with acoustic guitar most strongly in the mix, and a few other light rhythm touches and keyboards. The production's sharper than folk, but not much more so – and the music here is a great reminder that while we can look at the rock and roll timeline, and think that the punk explosion of the mid 70s was changing everything at once – out in the hinterlands there were still folks like Angelo who were dedicated to refining an older craft. The CD features a huge amount of material – the full original self-titled album, more tracks from those sessions, and a full second album recorded around the same time. 32 tracks on 2CDs, with lots of notes too – and titles that include "Field Of Lonely Eyes", "Future", "Journey To Find Who We Are", "Russian Lament", "Nubian Queen", "This Is The Night", "Love Is Too High", "Spirits Of Mercury", and "SOS Titanic". CD

Two later soundtracks from Riz Ortolani – both showing the maestro at the top of his game! Il Sole Buio has this wonderful way of gently unfolding the melody – almost Morricone-like, but with warmer tones at times – and mixed with a few electric jazz moments to offset the larger orchestrations – although the latter dominate, and really have this wonderfully rich vibe – almost a slight touch of the sort of sentiment you'd get in a French film score too! L'Angelo Con La Pistola is from the same director, Damiano Damiani, two years later – and again has some great orchestral numbers that billow and glisten with a gentle charm, mixed with a few more electric, keyboard-heavy tracks to showcase the action in the story! 21 tracks in all – and first time on CD for both titles. CD

The debut of Bilal, and a key album in that second generation merging of hip hop and R&B – very different than the early 90s moment, where the genres might combine in more of a surface level – and a set that marks a key merging of minds with the styles, as Bilal croons vocals, but with the fierceness of some of the rappers he'd collaborated with in years before the record! Part of that identity comes through on the album's release on Interscope, echoed by presence of guests who include Dr Dre, Mos Def, and Common – yet the album's very much Bilal's own, and maybe even pushes past territory explored by D'Angelo a few years before. Production includes work by Bilal himself, plus contributions from Dr Dre and J Dilla – on titles that include "Soul Sista", "You Are", "Slyde", "Second Child", "Sally", "Fast Lane", "All That I Am", "Love It", "Sometimes", "Reminisce", and "Home". CD

A really strong debut from Anthony Hamilton – easily the strongest album we've ever heard on the usually much more commercial So So Def label! Anthony seriously vibrates the rich depth of southern soul on every cut here, as filtered through late-model natural hip hop beats and vibes. He's definitely influenced by Erykah Badu's sound and Voodoo-era D'Angelo (which HAS to be the most influential serious soul album of the last decade or so), but the groove is a lot sweeter and less tortured than D's. It's really warm and inviting all the way through – crisp beats, tight keys, bass and percussion, and light guitar accent Anthony's lilting and layered vocals very nicely. All of the elements are just familiar enough to let you cozy up to the material right off the bat, but Hamilton's his own man here – nothing's directly bitten, just nicely approximated. Tracks include "Mama Knew Love", "Cornbread, Fish and Collared Greens", "Since I Seen't You", "Charlene", "I'm A Mess", "Comin' From Where I'm From", "Lucille", "Float", "My First Love" and more. A nice record from the not-so-dirty south! CD

Interesting, soulful work from Milton Nascimento – two different scores from the 70s, both written for ballet! The approach here is similar to some of his studio work of the time – an sophisticated yet soulful blend of instrumentation and vocals, baroque yet touched with the straightforwardness of rock, and never overly complicated, despite the nature of the setting. The work is essential if you like any of Milton's mid 70s studio albums – and performers on the projects include Joao Donato, Helcio Miltio, Beto Guedes, Nelson Angelo, Novelli, Luis Avellar, Toninho Horta, and Milton himself, leading the groups on both sessions. Titles on the first disc (Maria Maria) include the title track, "Lilia", "A Chamada", "Pai Grande", "Seducao", "Francisco", "Boca A Boca", "De Repente Maria Sumiu", and lots more! Titles on disc two (Ultimo Trem) include "Abertuna: Minas", "Ponta De Areia", "Povo Da Raca Brasil", "A Viagem", "Ultimo Trem", "Roupa Nova", and "Decreto", "Bicho Homem", "A Lua Girou" and more. 36 tracks on two CDs! CD

It's a long long way from Destiny's Child – as Beyonce comes on here with a righteous power she's never had before – much more message-oriented, and with larger agenda than the catchy pop of her youth! The album got quite a buzz before release, and definitely lives up to that promise – certainly darker, and deeper than anything we've heard before from the singer – almost her own move into some of the territory that D'Angelo hit in recent years, although with a more mainstream R&B construction to some of the tunes. The record features guest work from Jack White, Kendrick Lamarr, The Weeknd, and James Blake – but Beyonce is clearly the main focus throughout – on titles that include "Pray You Catch Me", "Daddy Lessons", "Forward", "6 Inch", "Don't Hurt Yourself", "Hold UP", "Freedom", "All Night", and "Formation". Deluxe CD includes a DVD with the Lemonade companion film! CD

A nice, moody hip hop/funk album from one of the deepest talents on the Stones Throw roster! Dudley came to underground hip hop fame as Declaime, but really stepped forward as a durable, innovative artist with the Dudley Perkins singles that have dropped thus far – and A Lil Light soundly delivers on that promise. It's all about mood – this may be the murkiest, most muddily funky thing Madlib has ever produced, with crackly, hissing beats, bass and samples. Dudley's vocals are about as far from the crooning NuSoul sound as you can get. He's grooves along with an improvised feel to the lyrics, loosely scatting in both a rolling deep bass and a soulful, nearly crying falsetto. The sound falls somewhere between the denser parts of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the spacier aspects of 70s soul and funk. Totally unique and satisfying – would you expect any less of Stones Throw? Tracks include "Money", the Sun Ra-inspired "Gotta Go", "You Really Know Me?", "Washedbrainsyndrome", "Flowers", "Just Think", "Yo' Soul", "Momma", "Lil' Black Boy" and more. CD

A funky collaboration of new and old players – as trumpeter Roy Hargrove explores a range of classic styles with a host of excellent guest stars! The RH Factor project includes work by Bernard Wright, Cornell Dupree, Karl Denson, and other funk luminaries – and it also features great vocal performances from the likes of Common, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo. The groove soars from Miles-inspired electric to the heavy funk of George Clinton – and makes plenty of side-trips in between – exploring a range of soulful jazz, both new and old, and coming off a lot better than we might have thought! Titles include "Pastor T", "I'll Stay", "Common Free Style", "Juicy", "The Stroke", "Poetry", "Liquid Streets", "The Joint", and "Forget Regret". CD

Some of the most hard-edged work we've ever heard from Alicia Keys – a great record to follow her new stripped-down, no-nonsense attitude – and maybe one that we could include with a bold wave of energy from the mainstream, in a new wave of pride and politics – which would include recent sets by Beyonce and D'Angelo too. The set features guest appearances by A$ap Rocky and Nas – and titles include "Blended Family", "The Gospel", "Pawn It All", "Kill Your Mama", "Illusion Of Bliss", "Girl Can't Be Herself", "Holy War", "Where Do We Begin Now", and "Work On It". CD

A haunting debut from singer Julee Cruise – collaborating with filmmaker/songwriter/producer David Lynch and his Twin Peaks soundtrack composer Angelo Badalamenti! The album was underappreciated at the time, perhaps because its loose connection to Lynch's Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet was too big of a pop culture hurdle for critical minds to clear, but it really deserves a reassessment. The mix of nostalgic 50s ballroom pop and ethereal modern dream pop is unique, kind of otherworldly, and Julee's gorgeous vocals carry it over with style to spare. Wierd and beautiful – there's really nothing else like it! Titles include "Floating", "Falling", "I Remember", "Mysteries Of Love", "Into The Night", "I Float Alone", "The Swan", "The World Spins" and more. CD

Features Andrew D'Angelo and Jeff Lederer on reeds, plus special guests Felicia Wilson on violin and Curtis Hasselbring on trombone. CD

Matt Wilson on drums, Yosuke Inoue on bass, Andrew D'Angelo on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, and Joel Frahm on tenor and soprano saxophone. CD

A soaring set from Leon Bridges – a full length second album that's every bit as classic as his debut, but in a completely different way! Where Coming Home was maybe Leon's answer to the generation of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke, Good Thing is more of a nod to the era of Maxwell and D'Angelo – but, as before, coming across with a vibe that's completely Bridges' own – this ebullient, bubblingly soulful quality that's completely sublime – and which has Leon's voice fitting perfectly with the mellow grooving beats, keyboards, and guitar. The singer's voice is maybe even better than before – sure to win over an even new wave of ears – and titles include "If It Feels Good Then It Must Be", "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand", "Bad Bad News", "Shy", "Beyond", "Forgive You", "Lions", "You Don't Know", and "Georgia To Texas". CD

A stunning NuSoul debut from Chicago! Kevin Chandler's one of our best homegrown talents – a fantastic soul musician with equal talents in many quarters. He's a hell of a writer, a great singer, plays incredible keyboards and guitar, and seems poised to become one of the giants of 21st Century Soul! This debut CD is issued on Kevin's own label – and it sparkles like the best underground soul we've been stocking over the past few years. There's killer keyboards on nearly every track, a warmly snug fit with Kevin's deeply soulful vocals, creating a style that's got a bit of D'Angelo, but a lot more jazzy finish with touches of 70s funk and 80s groove! Kevin's lyrics are great – spiritual and positive, but without the cliches that you might find in other work of the same type. Great all the way through – and with tracks that include "Nommo", "Fearless Child", "So Far, So Good", "Friday", "The Journey", "Higher", "My Father's Son", "The Art Of Dreaming", "Breathing You In", and "When Ya Lovin Me". CD

A real British soul gem from the 90s – the first album from singer Lynden David Hall, an artist with a nicely back to basics feel! Lynden's not trying to set the world on fire with this one, but he is working in a slinky and mellow style of soul that clearly displays an appreciation of older, simpler grooves. There's a style here that's somewhere between D'Angelo and Omar – but which also has a strong voice of its own – and the CD expands the original album by adding in a few extra singles too. Titles include "Sexy Cinderella", "Crescent Moon", "There Goes My Sanity", "One Hundred Heart Attacks", "Jennifer Smiles", "I Wish I Knew", and "The Jimmy Lee Story". Bonus tracks include "Do Angels Cry", "Sexy Cinderella (C&J remix)", and "There Goes My Sanity (Full Crew mix)". CD

The smashing debut of Van Hunt – a smoky-voiced singer with a really great sound! The album's one of those "instant classics" that grabs us right away – put together with a sweet and seductive feel that's got roots that stretch back past D'Angelo into the 70s work of Al Green – and which has some really great touches on the instrumentation and production, giving the set a nicely trippy feel! Think of this one as neo-psychedelic soul – and get ready to be hearing a lot more from Van Hunt in years to come – because with a sound like this, the guy's gonna break out big! There's loads of compelling little tunes on the set, and titles include "Highlights", "Dust", "Seconds Of Pleasure", "Hello Goodbye", "Down Here In Hell (With You)", "Out Of The Sky", "Hold My Hand", and "Her December". CD

A relatively mellow vocal outing from Ithamara Koorax – a voice that was introduced to us from her appearances on some groovy Brazilian dancefloor tunes, including some of those from Dom Um Romao's albums! The style here is quite different – very laidback, and in the ballad mode you'd expect from the "love" in the title. Instrumentation is a blend of mellow Brazilian and American jazz styles – with work by Jose Roberto Bertrami, Dom Um Romao, Luiz Bonfa, and Nelson Angelo – on titles that include "I Loved You", "Love Dance", "La Puerta", "Man Alone", "Amparo", and "Someday". CD

A great bit of NuSoul from Musiq Soulchild – warm, beat-heavy, and with a sinewy vocal style that reminds us a bit of D'Angelo, but harder. The album's Musiq's second – and it's another proud statement from the current Philly underground, the kind of modern day soul that's transforming the face of R&B, and winning back tons of listeners who'd departed the urban scene years ago. The back cover shows Musiq kicking back with a set of fat 70s headphones, digging in the crates while listening to a pile of 8 tracks – and we couldn't think of a better image to sum up the sound of this one! Titles include "Time", "Future", "Newness", "Solong", "Bestfriend", "Something", and "Dontchange". CD

One of Milton Nascimento's darker LPs, with a great set of tracks that have a deep rock feel to them, yet which maintain all of the soulful spirit that was in Nascimento's earlier recordings. Nascimento's working here with a great set of musicians that include some of Brazil's most farthest-reaching jazz players of the 70s – Nelson Angelo, Toninho Horta, Paulo Moura, Wagner Tiso, and Nana Vasconcelos – all of whom come together beautifully in baroque arrangements with a complicated, yet honest feel. Originally released as an album, plus a single, this remastered CD includes all the original tracks – with titles that include "Milagre Dos Peixes", "Pablo", "A Chamda", "Os Escravos De Jo", and "Sacramento". CD

An instant classic from Slum Village – one of those records that kind of snuck out into the world, then became legendary as the years went on! Of course, with work from Jay Dee, there's no surprise that the album's got plenty of staying power – as he does a killer job here, throughout, really elevating the work of T3 and Baatin with a mix of influences from soul, deep funk, and mellowed-out jazzy touches! In addition to the core Slum crew the record features D'Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, and Jazzy Jeff – on titles that include "Conant Gardens, "I Don't Know", "Jealously", "Fall In Love", "Get Dis Money", "Once Upon A Time", "Go Ladies", "Hold Tight", "What's It All About", and "Fourth & Back". CD

Music from Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Powermad, Angelo Badalamenti and Kinny Landrum, Nicolas Cage, Them, Koko Taylor, Chris Isaak, Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps, Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra, Rubber City, and Angelo Badalamenti and Kinny Landrum. CD

Tracks from Lev Ozar, The Idiots, Martin H, Marco V, Cajmere, Airmale, Curitiba, Angelo Kortez, William Umana, Jazmina, Jahkey B, and more. CD

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Blue Effect are down to a trio for this early 80s album, but that smaller lineup seems to allow even more space for instrumental interplay and well-crafted solos – served up by Radim Hladik on guitars, Vladimir Cech on drums and percussion, and Lesek Semelka on Moog and Korg keyboards, plus vocals as well! The production is clean, but never commercial – just really letting the longform tunes spin out with plenty of well-played lines – on titles that include "Triatricet", "Obcasna Panska Jizda", "Kohoutek Kamaradstvi Dokapava", and "Avignonske Slecny Z Prahy". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "Nezna", "Zahada Jmeli", and "Doktor". CD

A prog classic from the Czech scene at the start of the 70s – music from a moment when things were really pushing the cultural barriers in the new freedoms of the time! Blue Effect blend core jamming with some larger arrangements that appear from time to time – all given a sense of power and majesty that really transcends the boundaries of language, soaring out with a vibe that's right up there with the best non-English work on the Euro scene at the time! The set was issued with translated lyrics in some territories, but this is the original album – with titles that include "Osamela Ulice", "Kamenne Blues", "Destivy Den", "Kde Je Ma Hvezda", "Fenix", and "Pamet Lasky". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Grave Of The Sun", "Life", and "Gray Hair". CD

Excellent funky jazz from Czechoslovakia – served up in a blistering mix of big band arrangements and electric rock elements! The group's a jazz-rock orchestra – with a hard wailing instrumental sound that's sort of like the Clarke Boland Big Band, mixed with fuzzed-out guitars – a really great blend that's in the territory of some of the best MPS work of this type from the time! There's a bit of a progressive vibe to the record, but never in a way that has the solos getting too overindulgent – and throughout, the group keeps things going with very strong jazz elements in the music. Titles include the 14 minute groover "Nova Synteza", which has a tasty drum breakdown – plus "Popinavy Brectan", "Ma Hra", and "Smer Jihovychod". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "Blue Taxi", "Living Things", and "I Got My Mojo Working". CD

A far-reaching album by Caetano – with a wide scope of sounds and influences, from tribal/ethnic percussion, to subtle jazzy backdrops, to guitar-driven numbers that hint at a brief return to rock music. The rich tapestry of themes and images are perfectly linked by Veloso's always-wonderful voice – impeccably rich-toned, with a sound that only seems to get better with age. To us, the record's his first really striking album since 1997's Livro – although it's got a lot more subtlety, in the manner of some of his mid 70s work, like Bicho or Joia. Titles include "Michelangelo Antonioni", "Zera A Reza", "13 De Maio", "Zumbi", "Meu Rio", and "Sou Seu Sabia". CD

Raw work from the American underground of the 60s – material that predates punk by more than a decade, but which really sets the scene for the kind of searing, sneering attitude that really burst forth at the end of the 70s! The work is from a variety of scenes, although is especially heavy on the west coast – tracks recorded as a great antidote to more polished pop of the time, especially the sort that was trying to pass itself off as rock, but which was really a much more watered-down vibe. The "garage" in the title doesn't really do the music justice – as many of these acts are great musicians, given a key opportunity to really showcase their sound – and some of these tracks were surprising hits, although many others are under-discovered gems. The set is put together in the best style of the Strawberry label – a nice box, and plenty of notes on the tracks within – a whopping 94 titles in all, with work from The Unusuals, Dimensions, Shadows Of Knight, We The People, The Standells, Rationals, Other Half, Rangers, Strangeloves, Barbarians, Castaways, Remains, McCoys, Mad Hatters, Love, Mojo Men, Rocky & The Riddlers, Chris Morgan & The Togas, Limey & The Hanks, Echoes Of Carnaby Street, Don & The Goodtimers, Bobby Fuller Four, Seeds, Merrell & The Exiles, New Yorkers, Bedlam Four, Jackals, and dozens of others. CD

An obscure 70s album from the great Jose Feliciano – a set that was originally done as soundtrack material for an equally obscure film – Aaron Loves Angela – one that mixes Jose's more intimate style with some fuller backings from the disco generation! Barry Fasman handled the charts on most of the tracks – and the instrumentation features some nice larger touches, but with sharp instrumentation that even includes work from Willie Bobo on a few cuts too! Jose is fantastic vocally – able to come across with a wonderful sense of soul, which is often matched by some beautiful guitar work as well. Titles include "Angela", "Michelangelo", "Why", "Nirvana", "Sweet Street", "I've Got A Feeling", and "Salsa Negra". CD

A nice overview of the second chapter of work from this Brazilian giant – with notes by David Byrne, and titles that include "Michelangelo Antonioni", "Iatapua", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Um Tom", "Baiao Da Penha", "Haiti", "Fina Estampa", "13 De Mato", "O Estrangeiro", and "Mahata". CD

A far-reaching album by Caetano – with a wide scope of sounds and influences, from tribal/ethnic percussion, to subtle jazzy backdrops, to guitar-driven numbers that hint at a brief return to rock music. The rich tapestry of themes and images are perfectly linked by Veloso's always-wonderful voice – impeccably rich-toned, with a sound that only seems to get better with age. To us, the record's his first really striking album since 1997's Livro – although it's got a lot more subtlety, in the manner of some of his mid 70s work, like Bicho or Joia. Titles include "Michelangelo Antonioni", "Zera A Reza", "13 De Maio", "Zumbi", "Meu Rio", and "Sou Seu Sabia". CD

Slammin's a definite good choice for the title of this one – as this 5th entry in the Easy Tempo series seems even funkier than the other volumes – a set that's got plenty of full-on grooves, hand-picked from the genius Italian soundtrack years of the 60s and 70s! If you're looking for a place to start digging the full range of talents of the maestros of this time, you'd be hard pressed to find a better collection – as the Easy Tempo name always means the best bits from this scene, served up in a package that packs a lot more punch than any single individual soundtrack! Titles include "Loco Love Motor" and "The Frog" by Augusto Martelli, "Montreal Non Stop" and "Anice Nuraghi" by Luiz Bacalov, "L'Arcangelo" by Piero Umiliani, "Running Fast" by Stefano Torossi, "Blazing Magnum" by Armando Trovajoli, "Trop's" by Alberto Baldan Bembo, "Vuca" by Tony Mimms, and "The Chicken" by Dick Oliver. CD

Incredible music from the key cultural year of 1966 – all hand-selected by the mighty Jon Savage! From punk to soul to plenty of places in between, when Savage has something to say we're always more than willing to listen – and this time around he really opens up our ears with a double-length collection of 48 tracks all recorded during a single year, each of which represents a key cultural shift at the time! The package isn't hits from the charts, or underground psych – and instead brings together smoking instrumentals, rare soul, proto-punk, trippy folk, and lots more – some familiar tracks, a few classics, and lots more obscure gems – all nestled together at a level that may well rewrite your understanding of the 60s. Forget the summer of love, because 1966 is the year when lots more happened – as Savage outlines in his massive track selection and great notes for the package. Titles include "Love At Psychedelic Velocity" by The Human Expression, "The Spy" by The Guys From Uncle, "Night Time" by The Strangeloves, "Nothing Comes Easy" by Sandie Shaw, "Greetings" by The Monitors, "I'll Be Your Mirror" by The Velvet Underground, "One Of These Days" by The Rooster, "You Better Believe It Baby" by Joe Tex, "7 & 7 Is" by Love, "Do You Come Here Often" by The Tornados, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "In The Past" by We The People, "One Hour Cleaners" by The Blue Things, "Foolish Woman" by Oxford Circle, "Hang On To A Dream" by Tim Hardin, "Batman" by Link Wray, "You Keep Me Hangin On" by The Supremes, "I'm A Boy" by The Who, "Come On Back" by Paul & Ritchie, and lots lots more! CD

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. The Chocolate Watchband, The Leaves, The Brigands, The Barbarians, Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Strangeloves, The Kingsmen, The Knickerbockers, Wailers, Harbinger Complex, and more - 30 songs in all. CD

Haunting work from Jimmy Campbell – an overlooked British songwriter at the end of the 60s, and one with a really unusual approach to his music! At some level, Jimmy's got some of the folksy touches of the Nick Drake generation – a sound that might have been right at home on Island Records – but at another level, his style here is very much his own too – a bit more sensitive, and delivered with this odd vocal quality that's unlike anything we can think of – as unique to Jimmy as Tom Rapp's voice was to Pearls Before Swine, or Biff Rose's was to his own great late 60s sides! Instrumentation is relatively spare on most numbers – just acoustic guitar and a bit of rhythm, yet hardly in typical folksy modes – and titles include "When I Sit Down To Reason", "Adrian Henri's Party Night", "On A Monday", "Lyanna", "Dear Marge", "Penny In My Pocket", "Another Vincent Van Gough", and "Michelangelo". CD

Bassist Christian McBride's always got a great ear for the players he chooses to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as the group features the great Warren Wolf on vibes and reedman Steve Wilson on both alto and soprano sax! Wilson and Wolf have this great way of balancing each other out – the sometimes-sharp edges of Steve's saxophones, and the inherent warmth of Warren's vibes – dancing together joyfully and really opening up the sound, in the company of other players who include Peter Martin on piano and Carl Allen on drums. As always, McBride proves to be a really special sort of bassist-as-leader – and titles include "Ms Angelou", "The Shade Of The Cedar Tree", "Fair Hope Theme", and "Gang Gang" – all nice and long! CD

A fantastic collection of unreleased material from Prince – not spare demos or home recordings, or studio snippets either – but instead some fully-formed songs that come right from the glory days of the singer's career! Almost all the material here is from the early 80s – and most tracks were later recorded by other artists in the Prince spectrum – including The Time, Apollonia 6, Mazarti, The Family, Jill Jones, and Sheila E – but are done here by the man himself, with all of the slinky, funky qualities that he brought to his own music at the time – qualities that are especially well-noted on some of the other cuts that were recorded by The Bangles and Kenny Rogers – which really feel different in the hands of Prince. Titles include "Love Thy Will Be Done", "Nothing Compares 2 U", "Baby You're A Trip", "Manic Monday", "Jungle Love", "Sex Shooter", "Noon Rendezvous", "Make Up", "The Glamorous Life", "Holly Rock", "You're My Love", "100 MPH", "Dear Michaelangelo", "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me", and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too". CD

Incredible music from the key cultural year of 1966 – all hand-selected by the mighty Jon Savage! From punk to soul to plenty of places in between, when Savage has something to say we're always more than willing to listen – and this time around he really opens up our ears with a double-length collection of 48 tracks all recorded during a single year, each of which represents a key cultural shift at the time! The package isn't hits from the charts, or underground psych – and instead brings together smoking instrumentals, rare soul, proto-punk, trippy folk, and lots more – some familiar tracks, a few classics, and lots more obscure gems – all nestled together at a level that may well rewrite your understanding of the 60s. Forget the summer of love, because 1966 is the year when lots more happened – as Savage outlines in his massive track selection and great notes for the package. Titles include "Love At Psychedelic Velocity" by The Human Expression, "The Spy" by The Guys From Uncle, "Night Time" by The Strangeloves, "Nothing Comes Easy" by Sandie Shaw, "Greetings" by The Monitors, "I'll Be Your Mirror" by The Velvet Underground, "One Of These Days" by The Rooster, "You Better Believe It Baby" by Joe Tex, "7 & 7 Is" by Love, "Do You Come Here Often" by The Tornados, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "In The Past" by We The People, "One Hour Cleaners" by The Blue Things, "Foolish Woman" by Oxford Circle, "Hang On To A Dream" by Tim Hardin, "Batman" by Link Wray, "You Keep Me Hangin On" by The Supremes, "I'm A Boy" by The Who, "Come On Back" by Paul & Ritchie, and lots lots more! CD

Eleven Dylan covers from Dodgy, Chuck Prophet & The Creatures Of Habit, Henry Kaiser's Obsequious Cheeselog, Christine Collister, Calamity Jane, P.J. Harvey, Lee Ranaldo, Moose, Strangelove, Magnapop, and Dogmeat. CD

A really cool set, one that's led and produced by singer/guitarist Lee Jackson – in the midst of lots of other guitars, both acoustic and electric – all recorded with a nicely spacious vibe, and blended with organ, mellotron, and percussion! There's a great psych folk vibe to the set – very unique! CD

A far-reaching album by Caetano – with a wide scope of sounds and influences, from tribal/ethnic percussion, to subtle jazzy backdrops, to guitar-driven numbers that hint at a brief return to rock music. The rich tapestry of themes and images are perfectly linked by Veloso's always-wonderful voice – impeccably rich-toned, with a sound that only seems to get better with age. To us, the record's his first really striking album since 1997's Livro – although it's got a lot more subtlety, in the manner of some of his mid 70s work, like Bicho or Joia. Titles include "Michelangelo Antonioni", "Zera A Reza", "13 De Maio", "Zumbi", "Meu Rio", and "Sou Seu Sabia". CD